Climate Change

We adopt a responsible and proactive stance, aiming to reduce the carbon footprint resulting from our activities.

We want to reduce our consumption of energy and water and we choose less polluting refrigerant gases, because we believe that only an efficient approach to natural resources can help mitigate the impacts of our activity.

CDP Climate Change Score

A-

(Leadership Level)

CDP Water Security Score

B

(Management Level)

The CDP – Disclosure Insight Action (former Carbon Disclosure Project) is a non-profit organisation that encourages investors, companies and cities to measure and manage environmental risks and opportunities. In 2019, the CPD assessed more than 8,400 companies, which represent half of global stock market capitalisation.

CARBON FOOTPRINT

In 2019, our carbon footprint reduced by 15.4% in absolute terms, which is mostly justified by the acquisition of renewable energy certificates in Portugal.

We thus achieved our goal of reducing the Group’s carbon footprint by 5% for every €1,000 of sales in the 2018-2020 triennium.

Carbon Footprint

ENERGY AND WATER CONSUMPTION

By being committed to efficient resource management, we are able not only to optimise its comsuption but more importantly, to implement initiatives aimed at fighting climate change.

In the construction and refurbishing projects of our infrastructures, we strive to include criteria such as:

control and energy management systems;

refrigerated displays and freezers with doors and covers;

more efficient lighting technologies such as LED and skylight installation;

renewable energy installation;

systems to rationalise water consumption: flow reducers, taps with timers, regulation sensors for ice machines and rainwater collection for use in irrigation or equipment washing systems.

Since 2014, these measures have involved an investment of more than 145 million euros and the emission of more than 230,000 tonnes of CO2e has been avoided.

With the project “Water and Energy Consumption Management Teams”, we aim to raise the awareness of the employees working in our stores in Portugal about the rational use of energy and water. Between 2011 and 2019, we saved 341,653 m3 of water and 48,080,140 kWh of electricity, corresponding to a total of more than 6.1 million euros.

In 2015 we launched the project “Let’s Go Green” at the office buildings in Portugal, aimed at encouraging people to adopt more responsible practices in their use of energy, water and paper, and promoting good recycling practices. Between 2015 and 2019, we ensured a 289,013 kWh reduction in electricity consumption. Driven by the results achieved, in 2019 this project was extended to Biedronka’s and Ara’s head offices.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

We invest in renewable energy systems, such as passive underground cooling/heating, the use of solar collectors for heating water, lamp posts fed by photovoltaic panels and photovoltaic panels for self-consumption of electricity in our infrastructures.

In Portugal, and since 1 July 2018, purchased electricity required for our banners’ operations has come from renewable sources. In the same year, we started self-production of electricity in the Algoz Distribution Centre and the Recheio store in Tavira, and in 2019, we installed photovoltaic panels at the Alfena Distribution Centre and at three Biedronka stores.

In 2019, the investment in renewable energies resulted in savings of around 5.2 million kWh, corresponding to an increase of 18% compared to 2018.

At the Jerónimo Martins Group, energy from renewable sources already generates 500,000 MWh, that is, 25% of total energy consumption in 2019.

Renewable Energy

Learn here about the technologies we have implemented and the savings obtained.

LOGISTICS PROCESSES

As our core business is Distribution, we seek to reduce the environmental impacts linked to the logistics processes throughout our value chain, minimising the consumption of raw materials and energy resources and also reducing the amount of emissions and waste.

Through our backhauling programme, consisting of optimising delivery routes and maximising loads, during the return journeys we collect empty pallets from our stores and suppliers. Between 2011 and 2019, we collected around five million pallets, saving 68.3 million kilometres in journeys, the equivalent of 89 trips to the moon and back, and prevented the emission of 64.2 thousand tonnes of CO2e.

In 2019, Pingo Doce launched a fronthauling project that includes our suppliers’ stopping by the Group’s stores to deliver goods on their return route to their facilities after delivering products to our Distribution Centres. 21,849 pallets were delivered to Pingo Doce stores, thus saving 71,783 km and avoiding the emission of 63 tonnes of CO2e.

In 2019, the by-truck project was implemented at Ara, which uses trailers to transport goods between the Distribution Centres and the farthest stores, saving 24,080 km and avoiding the emission of 19 tonnes of CO2e.

81% of the goods transport vehicles in Portugal, 95% in Poland and 32% in Colombia, comply with the Euro and/or Euro 6 requirements defined by the European Union.

REFRIGERANT GASES

To reduce the carbon emissions related to cold and air conditioning systems, we use leak control technologies, and increasingly, natural cooling gases.

To reduce our greenhouse gas emissions associated with cooling gases, we have developed the following initiatives:

Cooling technologies running solely on CO2 are also installed in 76 Pingo Doce stores and one of its central kitchens, 10 Recheio stores, 912 Biedronka stores and six of its Distribution Centres, and in one Ara Distribution Centre, corresponding to approximately 25% of all of the Group’s stores;

The Dairy Factory and seven Distribution Centres (five Pingo Doce and two Ara) have refrigerated warehouses (positive and/or negative cold) with systems running on ammonia combined with glycol, corresponding to more than 45% of these Group facilities.

Whenever possible, new stores and those subject to major refurbishments use equipment with low global warming potential fluids (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) and 100% natural refrigerant gases (industrial cold facilities).

Jerónimo Martins Case Study

Learn about the commitments and results achieved by members of The Consumer Goods Forum.

Independent Verification

Data regarding the Group’s Carbon Footprint, water and energy consumption (including savings with the “Let’s Go Green” project), recycled water, water discharges and greenhouse gas emissions was confirmed by an external and independent entity for the Group’s 2019 Annual Report.

Jerónimo Martins is a Portugal-based international Group operating in the Food Distribution and Specialised Retail sectors. Public Company. Registered at the Commercial Registry Office of Lisbon.
Share Capital: 629.293.220 €. VAT number PT nr. 500 100 144.

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